Police praise Leeds c-store worker for tackling gun-wielding robber

The Police have praised the shop worker of One Stop store in Leeds who tackled a “desperate and dangerous” gun-wielding man on robbing spree in July last year. The accused has been given jail sentence.

According to BBC, Marlon Stewart, who had threatened six people and stolen a car, was tackled by shop worker when Niall Stranix after the former demanded money in the store. Stewart has been was jailed for 10 years and four months.

After the sentencing at Leeds Crown Court on Monday (17), Det Insp Ryan Malyk said Stranix had shown “incredible bravery”.

West Yorkshire police stated in a statement that while we always advise members of the public in such situations to think of their safety first, we must recognise the incredible bravery that Niall Stranix showed in making the decision to tackle him while he was threatening his female colleague.

“Despite not knowing if the gun he was holding was real or not, he showed tremendous courage in taking him on and it was his actions that directly led to Stewart’s face being captured on CCTV and him being identified as the suspect,” Detective Inspector Ryan Malyk, of Leeds District CID, said.

West Yorkshire Police said on July 19 last year Stewart had committed 13 crimes in the space of about 20 minutes, including threatening three 19-year-old males in Chapel Allerton Park before robbing two of them of their mobile phones.

Stewart then demanded cash from a shop worker at a Premier shop in Lidgett Lane, before also threatening a customer and stealing her car.

Police said minutes later Stewart entered the One Stop store in nearby Chandos Gardens, and pointed a pistol at a “terrified” woman behind the counter.

Stranix, who was mopping the shop floor, then grabbed Stewart in a headlock and held onto him, despite getting injured on the head twice with a bottle. Stewart eventually broke free and fled the scene empty-handed, police said though due to the scuffle, the accused’s face was captured on CCTV which helped the cops to identify and nab him.

The pistol had started to break apart as the two fought and was later believed to have been a plastic BB gun, officers added. Further enquiries to locate him resulted in his arrest on September 29.

Stewart was charged with four counts of robbery, one of attempted robbery, five counts of possession of a firearm while committing a robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Det Insp Malyk, of Leeds District CID, said that Stewart put all these victims through some really frightening experiences when he carried out these robberies over a very short space of time. He was clearly desperate and dangerous, and those who encountered him were put in genuine fear when he confronted them at gunpoint.

“We hope that the significant prison sentence that Stewart has received will provide some comfort to all the victims as well as some reassurance to the wider community to know that he is safely off the streets.”

Stewart was jailed for 10 years and four months with an extended licence period of five years.

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